


A little closer

by Maharetchan



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Conversations, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 07:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/695897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maharetchan/pseuds/Maharetchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Conversations with Holmes are never easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A little closer

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. I had this fic in mind for a while, but only now it managed to come out. I hope you'll like it. ^^  
> 2\. My first language is not English and I don't have an English beta reader. So please excuse the grammar mistakes that you'll probably find.  
> 3\. I love comments!

Marcus Bell is thinking about his apartment, about the heating going strong, about the hot cup of coffee he could be having right now instead of being there, freezing on the roof of Holmes' house, staring at the consultant's back while he's attending to his bees; he can feel himself regretting giving him his personal number. 

“I thought you wanted to show me something.”

His voice comes out slightly annoyed and he almost regrets it because Holmes hasn't done anything worth of it, yet, but, hell, he's tired after a long damn day of work and just wants to go home, have dinner, watch some tv and then sleep.  
He doesn't feel exactly inclined to be nice right now.

Holmes turns to face him and looks at him like he's extremely surprised to see him standing there, even though he has done that for the past ten minutes and he's the one who invited Marcus over.  
After a few seconds, however, Holmes smiles lightly.

“Ah, yes. Detective Bell. You're here.”

“Yeah, I'm here cause you texted me saying that you needed to show me something. What is it?”

“Oh. I'm afraid that was a small deception on my part. I just wanted to be sure you would come.”

He rolls his eyes at that, because, honestly, he just had it coming: this is Holmes, after all, that's what he does, plays with you until you end up doing exactly what he wants and you don't even know how that happened.

“You lied?! Can I, at least, know why?”

Holmes simply shrugs and goes back to his bees.

“Watson is out and she won't be back for at least an hour. It occurred to me that, while I obviously spend a lot of time with her and know Captain Gregson fairly well, we never had the chance to get to interact with each other outside work. Which, I think, it's a pity.”

Marcus is actually extremely surprised by that and doesn't know how to respond, because there's something in Holmes' words that makes him understand that he's absolutely sincere right now, that maybe he really just wanted to spend some time with him, as weird as that seems to be.  
Maybe even Holmes can act like a normal human being after all.

“Well, you're right. We could have stayed inside, thought, it's freezing out here.”

“There's some coffee in the thermos if you want, feel free to help yourself out.”

Marcus comes closer to him and pours himself a cup, feeling the hot liquid warming his body pleasantly and also feeling the annoyance Holmes is able to kick into his system dissipating: he turns to observe him, doing things he doesn't understand with a care and an ease that makes him smile and he doesn't even know why.

Holmes is usually so hurried, blurred in his own excitement, always running around, talking fast and thinking even faster, lost in his world of connections only he can see, of strings no one else seems to notice but him, of small details that are hidden so deep you almost don't even believe they could possibly exist.

But they do and Holmes is the one that finds them, that uncovers even the smallest one and it's fascinating, absolutely amazing, but sometimes too rushed for him to fully appreciate it: but now it's different.  
There's a softer look on his face, a different light in his eyes and Marcus finds himself staring, realizing it only when Holmes turns to face him again.

They look at each other for a while, in silence, with only the distant and muffles sounds of the city under them to fill it: it's awkward, but in a way that doesn't make either of them want to look away, but that, instead, seems to be challenging them to keep doing it until it becomes too much and Holmes lowers his gaze.

“It's quite fascinating...”

“What is?”

“How simple things can become suddenly complicated depending on the situation. Like kisses, for example. Kisses are simple, a natural expression of affection, love, appreciation... but, if the balance changes, if the moment is not right, if... everything is already on the edge or confused... They're not simple anymore.”

Marcus thinks about it for a while and then nods absently, catching Holmes looking at him with the corner of his eye, but not turning towards him: sometimes the other man can say the weirdest things and they don't make sense no matter how much he analyzes them.  
Maybe that is actually the biggest part of his charm, the fact that he can have people thinking about what he says no matter how crazy it sounds.

Too focused on his thoughts, he doesn't notice him getting closer and when he looks up again, Holmes is staring down at him, with a weird look in his eyes, a shine that makes him uncomfortable and curious at the same time.

And then his lips are on his, an hand on the back of his head keeps him close: his lips are cold, just pressing softly, not trying to force him to do anything.

It last for only a few seconds, but when Holmes backs away from him, there's a stiffness in his movements that it's almost endearing: Marcus stays quiet for a while, not really thinking about what just happened, just staring at the other man avoiding his gaze.

“Was that an experiment?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Holmes seems genuinely confused for a moment, before his brain catches up.

“Oh. Actually... it wasn't an experiment, no. Just something I had wanted to do for quite some time... I apologize if I made you uncomfortable, however. It wasn't my intention...”

Marcus just nods.

“You could have said something about it. Or asked before doing it.”

Holmes smiles sadly.

“What would you have said in that case?”

He doesn't reply, because he really doesn't know what to say and is startled when Holmes starts walking toward the door.

“I think we should go downstairs, apparently Watson came back early from her rendezvous. You may want to say hello to her before you go home. I assume... the evening is over.”

They're on the floor where the bedrooms are, when suddenly, against his best judgment and following a sudden madness, Marcus grabs Holmes' arm and pushes him against the wall, barely having the time to see his eyes go wide with surprise before he kisses him again, harder this time, pinning him to keep him there, close.

Holmes hands cup his face and they're cold against his skin, making him shiver but not pulling away.

When they part, they're both breathing fast and there's a weird smile on Holmes lips.

“It can still be simple.”

Holmes' smile becomes wider.

“Yes, I believe that maybe it can.”


End file.
